The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-24
T. De Witt Talmage, in Brooklyn Maya
zine


+. De Witt Talmage, in Brooklyn Maya
zine.
The time had come in my boyhood
which l thought demanded OF me a
capacity to smoke. The old people OF
the household could abide neither the
sight nor the smell OF the Virginia
weed. When ministers came there,
not by positive injunction, but by n
sort OF instinct us to what would be
safest, they whitfield their pipe on the
back steps. If the house could not
stand sanctifed smoke, it may be
imagined how little chance there was
for adolescent cigar.puffing.
BY some rare good fortune which
put in my hands three cents, found
access to q tobacco store. AS the lid
OF the long, narrow, fragrant box
opened, and for the first time / own.
ed q cigar, my feelings OF citation,
manliness, superiority. and anticipa-
ton can scarcely be imagined, save by
those who have had the same sensa-
ton. When | put the cigar to my
lips, and stuck the lucifer-match to
the end OF the weed, and commenced
to pull with an energy that brought
every facial muscle to its utmost ten
sion, my satisfaction with this world
Uppof rAt n ion I'D -
er to want to leave it.
The cigar did not burn well. 1t re-
quired an amount of suction that
tasked my determination to the ut
most. Yousee that my worldly means
had limited me to n quality that cost
only three cents. But | had been
taught that nothing great was accom-
plished without effort, and so pulled
away. Indeed / had heard my older
brothers in their Latin lessons say,
omnia vincit labor; which translated
means, if you want to make anything
60. you must scratch for it.
With these sentiments, / passed
down the village street, and out to.
ward my country home. My head did
not feel exactly right, and the street
DtSitH w IOCh lEOIll sue W Slut, 81
that it became rather uncertain to
me which side OF the street ] was on.
So crossed over, but found myself on
the same side as | was before | cross
ed over. Indeed, imagined that | was
on both sides at the same time and
several fast teams were driving be-
tween. | met another boy who asked
me why looked so pale, and told
HIM that did not look pale, but that
he was pale himself After some fur
Their walking, | sat down under the
bridge near my house and began tore
fleet OH the prospect OF early de-
cease, and on the uncertainty OF all
earthly expectations. had determin-
ed to smoke the cigar all up, and thus
get the full worth OF my money, but
was finally obliged to throw three
fourths of it away. | knew, however,
exactly where | threw it, in case
should feel better the next day.
Getting home, the old people were
frightened, and demanded OF me an
explanation as to my absence and the
rather whitish color ofmy complexion.
Not feeling that / was called to 60 in
to particulars, and not wishing TO in
crease my parents apprehension that
l was going to turn out badly, sum-
med up the case with the statement
that felt miserable at the pit OF the
stomach. Mustard plasters were i'm
mediately administered, and recev-
ed careful watching for some hours.
Finally, l fell asleep, and forgot my
disappointment and humiliation in
being obliged to throw away three
fourths OF my first cigar.